Residents' fears over plans for flats and shops on empty site

CONCERNS have been raised about plans for a residential development and a possible retail park on the site of a former car showroom.

Housebuilder Mactaggart & Mickel is seeking permission for the development at West Tollcross, on the site of the now-demolished Arnold Clark garage at Lochrin Place.

While the proposed 86 residential flats and a student accommodation block have met with local approval, residents have raised concerns about the lack of plans for new moorings on the Union Canal.

This will be the third planning application to be submitted for the site in recent years.

In 2003, a planning application was rejected by councillors for a residential development with shops, restaurants, creche and underground car parking.

A subsequent appeal by developers was also rejected as the proposals did not include additional water space to "enhance the recreational potential" of the Union Canal.

Another planning application was then granted in 2007 for housing, a new water space and car parking.

Mactaggart & Mickel now wants to amend the existing planning permission to include student flats on the site, along with some kind of retail outlet.

The proposals have been submitted to the council as part of a pre-application process, which gives the planning committee the chance to raise issues which it would like to see addressed in the full application.

However, the plans have already raised some concern within the local community, which has been consulted on the development.

Paul Beswick, chair of Tollcross Community Council, said the new proposal did not include the creation of water space for canal moorings.

He said: "The only differences with this application are that the northerly block will be student flats and there won't be the water space.

"We don't mind the student accommodation, but we are very upset that the proposal doesn't include the water space that was included in the previous application.

"There was a local inquiry over the first application because the developer appealed against the council's refusal, but the reporter agreed with the council's decision and made a strong point that there should be some credit given to the canal.

"We object to the removal of the water space because it was felt that the developer must make some contribution to the canal by taking benefit for having flats along the canal.

"There is a need for a water space as there is a waiting list for moorings."

John Bury, the city's head of planning, said: "The development should retain a mixed-use character allowing for integration with the existing communities of Tollcross and Fountainbridge."The applicant will be required to consider the addition of student housing within this area to ensure that an appropriate mixed community is established."

Members of the council's planning committee will have the opportunity to discuss the pre-planning application at a meeting next Wednesday.